35. Fevered Desires
Halfway through dinner, amid the friendly chatter and clinking of forks against plates, my stomach flipped with sudden nausea, forcing me to pause. I couldn’t take another bite without being sick.
Of course, Ace instantly noticed my change in demeanor. His gaze traveled from the food on my plate to my face.
He had this weird thing about making sure I got enough to eat. Ever since we were kids, he loved making food for me and taking me out for meals.
I ignored him and focused on my breathing while I tried to get my rolling stomach under control. It was so strange. I had never gotten sick in the middle of a meal before.
Ace leaned in. “You not hungry, beautiful? You’ve barely touched your food,” he asked quietly.
Everybody else was busy enough with their own conversations to notice the interaction.
“I’m fine.” I made a show of picking my fork up and pushing my food around on my plate.
Ace narrowed his eyes but, thankfully, didn’t push me on the matter. Instead, he grabbed the pitcher from the center of the table and poured some water into the empty glass in front of me.
Goddammit, why does he always know what I need? I hadn’t even realized I was thirsty.
I downed the water, instantly feeling a little better. Ace gently dragged my chair across the floor so I was closer to him.
I couldn’t bring myself to eat anything else. I simply sat back and listened to Elliot and Thomas tell everyone about their science projects.
A clammy layer of sweat formed on the back of my neck as unexpected heat traveled up my spine. I felt tingly all over. And hot. Geez, did someone turn on the heat in here or something?
I looked at my dad, fidgeting in my seat. “Could we open a window or something?”
“It’s warmer outside than it is in here. It wouldn’t do much,” he replied.
“Are you hot?” Ace asked.
I nodded. “A little. But I’m fine. Really.”
Ace didn’t look convinced.
“Well, it’s a good thing we have ice cream for dessert then!” my mom cut in. “That’ll help cool you down. We made sure to get your favorite, Ace. Cookies ’N’ Cream, right?”
“You know me so well,” Ace replied, a smile playing at his beautiful mouth.
He placed an arm over the back of my chair, and, even though I wanted to, I didn’t shove him away. I was actually a little relieved to have him closer, even if I was still furious with him.
Trying not to think about it too hard, I placed my hand down on his knee where no one could see. That little bit of contact brought me so much comfort.
“Cookies ‘N’ Cream is my favorite too!” Everette said, jumping in.
“That’s because it’s the best. You have good taste,” Ace replied.
Everette’s little face lit up.
“It’s my favorite too!” Felix added, grinning brightly.
“No, it’s not. You only like sherbet,” Everette said to him. “You’re just saying that because I said it.”
“Am not!”
As that pointless argument broke out, I felt a strange and uncomfortable throbbing sensation start in the crook of my neck. It was coming from that little bump on my neck that I noticed a few weeks back.
I sucked in a breath and rolled my shoulders, wincing when the stiff movement only resulted in more pain.
Almost instinctively, I leaned over and pressed my side against Ace. He felt like ice against my hot skin, helping to soothe the fire building inside of me. My shoulders loosened a bit.
Ace casually played with the ends of my hair while he continued to converse with my mother, but I didn’t miss the way his lips turned up. He was getting his way. er control. It was Several moments passed like this. I tried to remain still, but it was hard.
Am I coming down with the flu or something?
Ace placed a hand flat on my shoulder. “You’re burning up,” he whispered low enough so no one else could hear.
I leaned further into him. Here we go. “I’m just hot. I’m fine.”
Ace abruptly stood. He looked down at me, his expression so serious that it could have turned anyone’s blood to ice. “Come on,” he said, holding his hand out to me.
I glanced at my family members, who all looked just as surprised as I was.
“What?”
Ace’s breathing was ragged. “You have a fever. You need to lie down.”
“Are you feeling sick, Dorothy?” my mom asked.
I shrugged. “I suppose a little. But it’s really not that big of a deal.”
I could tell no one believed me. Hell, I didn’t believe me. I was obviously struggling.
The fire racing through my veins was getting a million times worse. Beads of sweat coated my upper lip and an extremely embarrassing ache was starting up in between my legs.
My father pushed himself out of his chair. “Ace, can I speak to you for a moment?”
“No,” Ace answered instantly, his eyes still on me. “Let’s get you to bed. Please.”
Everything about him was tight. His nostrils flared with each lungful of air he took in. It was honestly a little scary.
My father rounded the table with careful steps and put a hand on Ace’s shoulder.
“Ace—”
“I’m fine!” Ace snapped, jerking his shoulder out of his hold. “I can take care of my own fucking mate.”
Mate? Where have I heard that word before?
My father lowered his voice until I almost couldn’t hear him. “Can your wolf handle this?”
Ace finally looked at him. “He was fine last time. This isn’t her first spike. I know what I’m fucking doing.”
Whatever illness I was coming down with must’ve been messing with my cognitive skills because, I swear, I didn’t understand a single word coming out of their mouths.
I stood before things could escalate any further. I didn’t need my father attempting to strangle Ace again in front of my little brothers.
sation start in theBesides, going to bed wasn’t the worst idea. I probably had a virus or something and just needed to
sleep it off.
“Ace is right,” I said.
All eyes swerved toward me.
“Sleep sounds good. I’m sure I’ll feel better in the morning.”
I directed my attention to my boyfriend, who seemed calmer now that I was agreeing with him. “You don’t have to come. Stay and hang out for a while if you want. I’ll see you at school tomorrow, okay?”
I hoped he’d take that to mean: You’re still not sleeping with me tonight, you secret-keeping jerk.
Before he had the chance to argue, I turned and raced out the door, yelling goodnight to everyone as I went.
I was halfway up the stairs when I heard Ace following me and I sighed in annoyance.
“Ace, I really don’t have the energy to fight right now. I just want to sleep alone tonight.”
It physically pained me to say that. I didn’t want him to leave, especially when I was feeling so terrible. e turned anyone’sBut I had to stand my ground.
Right?
A sudden wave of dizziness hit me. Whoa, is the world spinning?
Ace continued toward me with a look of dark determination painted on his face. As soon as he was close enough, he grabbed me by my waist and tossed me over his shoulder.
So much for standing my ground.
Despite my trying to squirm out of his hold, Ace continued up the stairs, only releasing me once we were in my room and the door was locked.
“What the heck was that?” I demanded.
He was facing the door, head tilted down, his shoulders rising and falling with each of his ragged breaths. He was growling, too, and I was ashamed that the sound went straight to my throbbing sex.
“Ace?”
It was honestly aHe held up a hand. “Just…give me a second.”
I warily watched him put his hands above his head on the door and lean forward.
His back muscles bulged under his black shirt. I was a little mesmerized by it.
I squeezed my legs together as more arousal pooled between them, my discomfort only getting stronger.
It couldn’t be normal to be so attracted to someone. I couldn’t even see his face but was still barely able to hold myself back from jumping his bones.
The world was spinning again. It was like my body knew it wasn’t touching Ace and wanted to make me pay for it.
I stumbled back until my legs hit the front of my mattress, my neck pulsing so intensely with pain that made my vision blur. “Ace?” I tried again.
“Hold on, baby,” Ace growled. He still wouldn’t look at me. “I need to get myself under fucking control before I deal with this.”
I was barely comprehending what he was saying as I was too busy trying not to crumble to the ground.
“I-I don’t feel so good.”
That got his attention. Ace spun and took in my trembling form as I clutched the bump on my neck. His body tightened, and his expression turned predatory.
He approached me slowly, like a lion hunting its prey. I swallowed, my entire body buzzing like
someone had carbonated my blood.
“On the bed,” Ace ordered.
My jaw dropped open. The audacity of this man. “Excuse me? You can’t just command me to…to…”
My voice trailed off the closer he got to me.
I leaned away from him, even as my body screamed at me to go closer to him. I wanted to touch him so badly. I was desperate for it.
But I also didn’t like the way he was speaking to me. I wasn’t his to order around.
Not now, not ever.
Ace narrowed his eyes at my disobedience. He was in front of me in a flash. He grabbed me by myeeling so terrible. waist and pushed me onto my back on the bed. And then, he was on top of me.
I gasped. “What the hell, Ace?”
I didn’t care if my body relaxed the moment his pressed down on mine. I didn’t care if my back arched up, wanting him closer, closer, closer. Did he not hear me when I had told him to leave me alone?
“Don’t curse,” he growled, his voice several octaves lower than normal.
I scoffed. “Get fucked!”
A strange sort of pride bloomed inside me. I wasn’t sure what had gotten into me; I’d never challenged him like this before.
But I was sick of him thinking he could fix everything with physical touch and sweet words. He knew that the moment he put his hands on me, I turned into mush, incapable of forming coherent thoughts.
And, yet, he did it anyway. It was incredibly manipulative, and I wasn’t willing to put up with it anymore.
Ace squeezed his eyes shut, stuffed his face into my hair, and took in deep breaths.
“I told you, I don’t want to be near you right now.” I kept my voice as steady as I could, acutely aware of how close his mouth was to that little bump near my throat.
“Get off me.”
“Is that really what you want?” Ace’s nose skimmed up the column of my neck, causing me to suck in a sharp breath. “Because you’re clutching on to me like you’re afraid I’m going to disappear.s still barely able “I’m not sure I could pull away even if I wanted to.”
I hadn’t even realized my hands were gripping his huge shoulders. Fuck, what the hell is wrong with me?
“I-I don’t feel so good.”
That got his attention. Ace spun and took in my trembling form as I clutched the bump on my neck. His body tightened, and his expression turned predatory.
He approached me slowly, like a lion hunting its prey. I swallowed, my entire body buzzing like
someone had carbonated my blood.
“On the bed,” Ace ordered.
My jaw dropped open. The audacity of this man. “Excuse me? You can’t just command me to…to…”
My voice trailed off the closer he got to me.
I leaned away from him, even as my body screamed at me to go closer to him. I wanted to touch him so badly. I was desperate for it.
But I also didn’t like the way he was speaking to me. I wasn’t his to order around.
Not now, not ever.
Ace narrowed his eyes at my disobedience. He was in front of me in a flash. He grabbed me by my waist and pushed me onto my back on the bed. And then, he was on top of me.
I gasped. “What the hell, Ace?”
I didn’t care if my body relaxed the moment his pressed down on mine. I didn’t care if my back arched up, wanting him closer, closer, closer. Did he not hear me when I had told him to leave me alone?
“Don’t curse,” he growled, his voice several octaves lower than normal.
I scoffed. “Get fucked!”
A strange sort of pride bloomed inside me. I wasn’t sure what had gotten into me; I’d never challenged him like this before.
But I was sick of him thinking he could fix everything with physical touch and sweet words. He knew that the moment he put his hands on me, I turned into mush, incapable of forming coherent thoughts.
And, yet, he did it anyway. It was incredibly manipulative, and I wasn’t willing to put up with it anymore.
Ace squeezed his eyes shut, stuffed his face into my hair, and took in deep breaths.
“I told you, I don’t want to be near you right now.” I kept my voice as steady as I could, acutely aware of how close his mouth was to that little bump near my throat.
“Get off me.”
“Is that really what you want?” Ace’s nose skimmed up the column of my neck, causing me to suck in a sharp breath. “Because you’re clutching on to me like you’re afraid I’m going to disappear.
“I’m not sure I could pull away even if I wanted to.”
I hadn’t even realized my hands were gripping his huge shoulders. Fuck, what the hell is wrong with me?
